Canada can integrate large amounts of wind energy both reliably and cost-effectively to its grid, according to a new study by GE Energy Consulting and Vaisala.
The Pan-Canadian Wind Integration Study, which was co-funded by the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), investigates and quantifies the operational impact of integrating large quantities of wind energy into the grid.
It also presents several new cross-border opportunities with the northern US electrical grid.
Environmental and industrial measurement company Vaisala said it developed wind production profiles based on wind speed data provided by Environment Canada to build and model a number of different wind penetration scenarios.
The study was then able to identify the possible influences of wind energy on system operations and evaluate options, such as advanced wind forecasting and more flexible dispatching of other generation resources, to mitigate any challenges to reliability.
CanWEA president Robert Hornung said: “What is crucial is to ensure reliable grid operation as large amounts of wind energy are brought online.
“Efficiently and reliably making the transition to wind energy requires identifying how infrastructure and markets must adapt to accommodate its generation on a grand scale.
“The [study] provides a deeper understanding of the management of wind resource variability from a national and cross-border perspective.”
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